MLB.com: Wilson Answers Brewers' Call

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Steffan Wilson typically
arrives at the Brewers' Minor League complex a few days early to
get a jump on Spring Training. This year, that proved a very wise
decision.

Wilson was extended a surprise, last-minute invitation to big
league camp on Feb. 28 when the Brewers discovered the roster was
thin at first base behind Prince Fielder. Fortunately, Wilson was
ready to answer the call.

"I showed up one day and three days later they said, 'Get your
stuff, they need you over there [in the Major League clubhouse],'"
he said.

Wilson made his third Cactus League start on Wednesday against
the Padres, not bad for a 23-year-old who played at the Class A
level last season. He was in a prospect-rich group at Brevard
County, Fla. and batted .272 with 13 home runs, 15 doubles and 60
RBIs.

While other players in camp are working to make the team, Wilson
is working to leave a good impression.

"It's a little different," he said. "I don't think this will
affect where I start the season this year. I guess the goal is to,
just by being around, have the right people know my name in the
back of their heads. I want them to know I can play a little bit."

Manager Ken Macha first noticed Wilson last spring, when they
played in a foursome together as part of a team golf event and
discovered they share Pennsylvania roots. Macha, who has a degree
in civil engineering, also likes the fact that Wilson, a Harvard
man, has a brain under his baseball cap.

Now, the skipper is noticing Wilson's ability on the baseball
diamond.

"He's been impressive," Macha said. "Intense guy. He was taking
his warm-up swings and he's looking like Mike Sweeney more every
day. Big, strong first baseman. Hits the ball all over the
ballpark."

Through March 28, Wilson had appeared in 14 games with six hits
including a double and six walks for a .343 on-base-percentage with
four RBI.

Wilson was Milwaukee's 28th-round pick in the 2007 Draft and
he's among a number of Minor Leaguers who have already seen action
in Cactus League games this spring. Spring Training rules allow
teams to list extra players for the Major League games, and the
Brewers make liberal use of the policy.

What should the young players get out of the experience?

"Just play," Macha said. "Most of them, I get in, so they ought
to be ready to play. That's part of my philosophy. This is an
opportunity. Last year, they won a lot of games for us, and now
those guys that were doing that -- [Lorenzo] Cain, [Adam] Heether
-- they're in our camp now."

Fellow first baseman Chris Errecart, Wilson's roommate during
part of last season at Brevard County, got a shot against the
Giants on Saturday and made the most of it. He homered over the
40-foot tall batter's eye in center field at Maryvale Baseball
Park.

"That's a good way to start Spring Training," Errecart said.
"Once all the [other Minor League] players got around me, it was
just like another game."